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We the Cells of the Body, Want to Create a More Perfect Union

Adam and Eve Choose Cabinet Members for the Body’s Society of Cells

Arielle Davidoff and Ashley Davidoff  Copyright 2017

 Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better – Einstein 

As Adam and Eve entered the Garden of Eden they heard the cry of the disparate cells of the body:

“Without each other we are nothing.  Please unite us in structure and function with your wisdom. E Pluribus Unum!”

E Pluribus Unum – Out of Many, One

The cells knew they would be around for a long time; their grand scheme was to pursue Oneness. They understood the consequences of bullying, selfishness, greed, and jealousy. They also knew the power of goodness, integrity, humility, and sharing.  The cells resolved to fight the evil aspects of humanity.  56 cells from all walks of life discussed the issue of collaborative community living, and drafted a constitution they all signed in Philadelphia.  The cells submitted this proposal to Adam and Eve. It read:

We the Cells of the Body, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United Cells of the Body.”

50 representative cells overlying the stars

Adam and Eve realized that the cell was the key “person” in their society 

Adam and Eve, taken aback by the wisdom of biology, accepted the proposal and recognized the document as a marvel of humanity.  They knew it was imperfect, but accepted that as humanity learned through time, experience, and application, it could be amended and better understood.

And so what to do now?

Adam and Eve’s first task was to choose leadership for this noble effort.  Which type of cells did the society of the body need? The stakes were high; they needed to organize an efficient society in which each of the body’s 37.2 trillion individual cells would be fed, protected, fulfilled and free.  In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve examined the variety of cells that surrounded them, then turned to consider the needs of society. thinking about which to choose.

Essential Functions

They debated and discussed how to build a body to house and protect its contents and enable the person to live a full and free life.  They spoke through the night and on the sixth day they arrived at a basic plan of a successful body’s most important functions. Those functions would fulfill the direction of the constitution they had drafted earlier.

Their plan was a simple list of the body’s essential functions:

  1. control, manage, direct
  2. protect and support
  3. provide food, energy, and manufacture needed products
  4. transport
  5. maintain
  6. produce and prepare the next generation

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve entered the society of the cells and began to select societal leaders for the various essential functions on their list.

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Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden’s Cell Shop

 Adam and Eve ventured into the Garden of Eden Cell Shop with their shopping list of the functional needs for their society.

Finding the Leader Cell to Control, Manage and Direct

The cell to govern the body would need an overview of the whole situation of life and Oneness.  Its chief characteristics would be wisdom, honesty, humility and integrity. It also needed to sense and react appropriately to both the external and internal environment so that everybody could live a safe and fulfilling life. This cell also had to be able to communicate with every cell in the body – all 37.2 trillion of them – from the tip of the head to the tips of the toes.

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The Neuron – “Il Presidente”

They chose the brain cell or neuron for its leadership, and they playfully called  it “Il Presidente.”  Crucially, the neuron could connect not only with other brain cells, but also (directly or indirectly) with every cell in the body. The neuron could also react to the outside environment.

Adam and Eve Trying on the Brain Cell for Size

 Adam tried on the brain cell and sought Eve’s approval.  It was tailored for both the internal and external environments.

Modified public domain work of Henri Rousseau “The Dream”  1910 (MoMA)

“Il presidente” made his first speech referencing Hillel’s sage advice: “If I am not for the body of my person who will be?  And if I am only for the body of my person, then what am I?  If not now when then?”

Adam and Eve nodded at each other, satisfied with their choice.

Finding a Cell for Protection  

Adam and Eve lived in a dangerous environment.  Wild, predatory animals ranged in size from the dinosaurs to violent religious zealots, to the smallest virus particles.  They identified two principal needs – protection from the outside, and protection from the inside of the body.  They turned first to secure internal security.

Adam and Eve were aware of Voltaire’s wise words: “Beware of the words ‘internal security,’ for they are the eternal cry of the oppressor.”  They also knew, conversely, that Cicero stated “Salus populi suprema lex esto”  –  “Let the good (or safety) of the people be the supreme (or highest) law.”

The cell responsible for internal environmental control had to be highly intelligent, so it could sensitively identify the enemy without racial profiling.  Adam and Eve searched for a long time before they encountered an amazing, introverted cell genius, decorated with Einstein’s hairstyle. They called it the macrophage.  This cell had an exquisite memory for detail and an uncanny ability to spot and destroy the enemy of peace.  Rebels and terrorists in the body were no match for this cell.

 

The Macrophage Police Cell with a Crazy Hairstyle

The macrophage’s motto was the simple equation:   E = mc2

Enemy of the Common Good will be taken down by the Macrophage with Great Conviction for the sake of the peace of humanity

Finding a Cell to Manufacture Food, Energy, and Other Needed Products

The manufacturing function related to internal economy.  Adam and Eve knew that a successful internal economy required self sufficiency. All able bodied cells had a right and an obligation to work.  Adam and Eve remembered and appreciated the wise words of the famous John Kennedy who declared “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

The body would need manufacturing facilities present in all of its parts.  Noticing, however, that the liver cell proved especially adept at manufacturing, Adam and Eve chose this cell to lead the body’s internal economy.

The Liver Cell – Key in Metabolic Function in the Metabolic Warehouse of the Body

 

Finding a Cell to Lead the Transport Function

Transport to and from the cells would be an essential bodily function.  Adam and Eve chose the red cell to lead the effort, since it could transport oxygen and carbon dioxide, which they knew is vital to life.  The red cell with its colorful hemoglobin was a natural choice.  They recognized its ability to rapidly exchange gases in the lungs and at the cell as a stunning accomplishment of nature.

Red Cell with Hemoglobin Responsible for the Transport of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

Finding the Cell to Lead Maintenance: Repair, Cleaning and Waste Removal 

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Stem Cell Maintenance and Repair

The stem cell can magically transform into many different types of cells necessary to repair and regenerate tissues, which can wear over time. Timed cell death, or apoptosis, is natural and regeneration is necessary. The adult stem cell is responsible for regeneration of blood cells, endothelia of blood vessels, and epithelia of skin, intestine, and respiratory tract.  Adult stem cells also repair tissues such as bone, cartilage, and non-cardiac muscle, which are prone to injury due to physical activity.  Adam and Eve chose the multipotential adult stem cell to maintain the body’s cell populations.

Preparation for the Next Generation 

The miracle of creation understood the importance of education.  Each generation would advance to wholeness only if it learned from the experience of prior generations.  Humanity has preserved history in archives, museums, and libraries.  Similarly, within the nucleus of each cell lies the accumulated experience of the generations in the library of the DNA.  Every cell contains all this valuable information, which continues to evolve as human experience advances.

The Library of Accumulated Experience in the Nucleus of the Cell
Courtesy of photograph provided by Ralf Roletschek / fahrradmonteur.de subsequently modified 

Best for Last: Reproduction

Nature drives men and woman together with the most pleasurable and profound experience to enable e plurabus unum of the female egg and male sperm.  The mechanical union is infused with a miraculous spark of life that enables the continuation of the species.
Sperm and Egg Meet and a Miracle (not to be taken for granted) Occurs
Adam and Eve rested, exhausted in each other arms, assured that the wonderful human experiment had begun.

And the next day…

…there was a meeting of the minds on the palace lawn.

 7 Cabinet Ministers Posing in Front of Government Center

The 7 cells chosen by Adam and Eve to  to advise the design of the structure and function of the body.

From left to right; Liver cell (manufacture), Macrophage (defense and protection) Ovum (reproduction) Neuron (government) Sperm (reproduction) Stem cell (maintenance and repair) and Red cell (transport)

 

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Anatomy of Winter Water

Anatomy of  Winter Water 

February 2016 in Boston Massachusetts – Ashley Davidoff MD 

 

Winter Water changes its size, shape, position and character depending on the temperature, gravity, time and surrounding confines.

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Snow Outside in Boston

The winter of 2016 in Boston had not been too bad compared to the unforgettable winter of 2015. We  got 8-12 inches on the day this image was taken just a few days before Valentine’s day.  As always the snow left a trail of beauty particularly when viewed from the inside of a warm house.  Though truthfully, a walk in freshly fallen snow among the trees is also a magical experience. The view from our kitchen window is shown above.

On Valentine’s day 2016, 2 or 3 days after the snowstorm, the lowest temp reached -9 degrees F. This was the coldest Valentine’s day since 1957.  It  was zero degrees Fahrenheit when the photograph was taken.

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Frost and Ice on the Window Pane

4 basic layers evolved on the kitchen window.  This is explained diagrammatically in the next image. The real beauty was at the the bottom of the window pane there was a whole bevy of magnificent gems of the winter, hanging on the outside of a double paned kitchen window. The crystals were attached to a large ice droplet.  The result of nature’s work was more beautiful than any man made piece of jewelry.

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Frost and Ice on the Window Pane Explained

The relatively warm top part of the window showed a few ice crystals of collected fallen snow (layer 1) which quickly melted to form small droplets of water (layer 2).  Gravity caused these water bubbles to flow downward and get a little larger as they accumulated smaller droplets to form the bigger drops in the frosted background (layer 3).  When they reached the bottom part of the pane the temperature was lowest  resulting in crystallization and formation of beautiful gem-like structures .

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Gems of Ice Crystal at the Bottom of the Window Pane

Under given conditions in the winter, snow is formed from the water in the clouds and the water gets transformed into a wide variety of sizes, shapes and character.  The result was breathtaking!

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Melted Frost and Ice Gems 

The following day, the temperatures rose and the beautiful forms of crystallized ice, melted into a few nondescript water droplets, still beautiful but in a very rustic way.

 In the Meantime on the Outside Winter Water Creates Miracle Art

As the temperatures rose, I took the dog for a walk in the local park and was greeted by an infinite variety of microcosmic ice formations caused by the rising temperatures.  The puddles of frozen water started to crack, revealing magnificent shapes and a variety of ice and crystal formations in various stages between the solid and liquid form of water. Within a span of 30 minutes, I took over 200 images and here follows the result of the short photographic excursion with my macro lens.

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Ice Crystals on Columns of Thin Ice

 The shapes in this small ice pond took the form of columns of thin transparent ice with horizontal needle-like crystals projecting off the columns.

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Picasso Flying on Thin Ice

The art piece discovered in an ice pond by a macro lens revealed Picasso the eternal artist of yesteryear from the perspective of winter water.  The Picasso-like face in a boot with wings was perceived by the artist.  The formation of ice crystals require special winter conditions. In this case ice bubbles formed around a structure reminiscent of a face with a peaked hat. Waves of water in the ice form the wing-like structures

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Mirror Mirror on The Wall – What Do you See?

The art piece was discovered in an ice pond by a macro lens and reveals an abstraction of shapes. MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL..I see an evil queen – What do you see?   The formation of ice crystals and shapes in the thin ice require special winter conditions. In this case sharp white lines form a variety of shapes. Waves of water in the ice form the corrugated structures.

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I See an Evil Witch in the Mirror

What do you see?  The artist’s perception is overlaid in color. The face of the evil witch in the mirror (left) consists  the face with red lips, blue eyes, and a hooked nose.  To the right is a  person with a light green shirt and purple head.

Images of the Architecture of our Ancient Civilization 

 

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Tower of Babel ce Bubbles and Wood Chips

 In this art piece crystalised bubbles  project off pieces of wood chips.  The artist saw the an ill formed Tower of Babel crowned by a beautiful formation of ice bubbles

Images of the Architecture of Our Current Civilization 

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One World Trade Center and Ground Zero in Ice

The art piece is centered on a vertical skyscraper representing One World Trade Center. This art piece is a dedication to the great city of New York from the tiny ice ponds of a Boston park.  One World Trade Center is clustered with other skyscrapers in the center surrounding one of the main avenues traversing the city.  At the base of the skyscrapers, the foundation soil that shines through the ice water reflects the ground zero earth on which this magnificent building with its deep seated history, was built. The iced up East river surrounds Manhattan.  To the left there is a structure that represents the Brooklyn bridge and the wave like ice formation is a continuation of the bridge as it is seen lit up at night that extends from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The whole scene reflects a nighttime scene with city lights that abound.

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One World Trade Center The Brooklyn Bridge and the East River

Lessons of Biology

Images of the Natural World

Birds

pelican, log fish, winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water

Pelican Catching a Log Fish in ice Water

The art piece was discovered in an ice pond using a macro lens and reveals an abstract appreciation of the shapes. To the photographer and artist, a pelican is seen to the left of the image with a wide open beak pursuing one of the two fish swimming in the water.  The shapes of the fish look more like logs.  The small ice ponds in the local park were the source of this photograph.  The macro lens allows the capture of the minute detail, otherwise not appreciated fully by the naked eye.  There has been no electronic alteration to the art of natural form.

Trees and Plants

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Winter Trees of Ice Crystals

A walk in the cold of Boston with a macro lens exposed a tiny forest of winter trees beside a big pond under the warming winter sun.  Crystals of ice lined along a horizontal line reminiscent of a small forest, surrounded by the frozen water.  The surrounding ice pond has its own innate and naturally beautiful shapes.  Above the left side of the forest, the bundle of orange vegetation, likely debris from the previous fall,  represents a ball of warming sun to complete the scene.

The scene reminded me of the photograph of the Grove of Cone Shaped Trees below

B

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Cone Shaped Grove of Trees

The other images below of the ice crystals on the kitchen window and the similar morphology in the botanical world

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Boston Winter Mediterranean Summer 

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Ice Crystals and Arborvitae

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Feather Shaped Ice Crystals Grasses and Flowers 

 

Lessons of Biology

cell, macrophage, nucleus, winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water,

The Marvelous Macrophage – Soldier of the Body

The artist found this brave young macrophage lady in the ice pond of a Boston winter bravely fighting off pathogenic bacteria.  AiA applies the concept of multiple cyst like ice structures to the anatomy of the body, and in this instance to the lysosomes and other organelles in the cell.  The pseudopods of the dendritic cell are presented as the spiculated ice formations emanating from the edge of the white cell.

Human Biology Romance and Reproduction in Ice

garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, breasts, breast, body, torso, winter, water, crystals, ice,

Adam, Eve and the Snake

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A  Female Torso of Ice Floating On a Film of Cold Water

breasts, winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water

Woman Looking at Black Ice

In this art piece a woman is portrayed.  She admires the black ice through the cleft of her breasts.  The solid thick ice has assumed the rounded shapes of a woman’s breasts.  The sheets of black ice is seen in contrast to the white ice that dominate the image.

testes, penis, vas deferens, vasa deferentia, sperm, flagella, spermatozoa, winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water, bubbles,

Abstract of Male Organs and Reproductive Cells

The testes are in the bottom right hand corner filled with reproductive cells (sperm).  At the appropriate time during ejaculation they take a trip via the vas deferentia.  The vasa deferentia are depicted as tubular structures travelling from the testes to the base of the penis down the prostatic urethra where they collect the prostatic secretion. They then travel down the urethra and out into the female geniutal tract.  The race is on as they all seek to win the hand of the queen – the ovum de jour.

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Single Celled Flagellated Cells Looking for a Single Celled Partner

 The shapes that manifest in this instance were small microbubbles with waves of icy water.  The small bubbles are reminiscent of sperm cells and the waves of transparent ice reminiscent of the tail of the sperm.   The race is on!

winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water, ovary, follicles, cysts

Ovary and Follicles in Ice

AiA applies the concept of multiple cyst like ice structures to the anatomy of the body and in this instance to the ovary.  Ice bubbles form around air and other small structures of the earth and create follicular shaped structures of varying size on the ovarian like structure. The formation of ice crystals requires special winter conditions.  Freezing cold and water are basic ingredients. 

winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water, breasts, pregnancy, pregnant, woman, nude

Pregnancy in Ice

In this art piece a pregnancy is portrayed.  The cracked thin ice has assumed the rounded shapes of a woman with a rotund abdomen reminiscent of pregnancy.  The grass of the earth is magnified and illuminated in the pregnant abdomen, and a fetal structure is suggested in the expected location of the uterus.

Lessons of Life 

Time, Natural Disaster, Religion, Love, Sorrow, Fulfillment

Time

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Time Passes – A Cold Reality

The AiA rendering shows a fallen dead life still with beautiful colors of a Fall and a time gone by,  trapped by the ice and cold of the present tense. The message pertains to a yearning for the warmer, richer and mellow days of the autumn.  These are but sweet memories which are confronted by the harsh reality of the present and a cold, and sometimes unforgiving winter.  Though sweet memories are always sweet, one has to be realistic and deal with the present, knowing full well that the future will spring new realities.  Below the ice you may sense just a hint of green of the grass which will be part of the future of this vista.  The life lesson  – time passes.

Natural Disaster, 

winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water, snow, cracked

Snowquake

A natural disaster

Sorrow and Winter Water

eyes, tears, crying, nose, winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water,

Black Eyes, A Shiny Nose and Odd Looking Tears

The art piece reveals a different perspective of ice on the grate of a manhole cover in a Boston winter.  Two square black holes represent the two dark eyes, while the ice on the vertical limb with cracked ice of the manhole cover represents the shiny nose.  Two drops of water on the eyes in odd positions represent the odd looking tears providing the intrigue of the art piece.  What does the artist infer regarding the sadness in the eyes – that is up to you to think about!  Hidden messages abound

Pursuit of Fulfillment with Winter Water

bird, triangle, winter, ice, cold, crystals, ice crystals, temperature, freezing, shapes, ice crystals, frost, temperature, gravity, science, water,

Said the Ice Bird to the Triangle

In this art piece a bird who appears fulfilled in every beautiful way and is trying in a motherly way to teach the triangle a life lesson.  She pleads with the triangle not to lose its roots and foundation, because without the foundation it loses its identity as a triangle.  She then pleads with the triangle to remain true to itself and in that way it will grow and become something more profound – and in this case the artist draws attention to the triangular shape of the bird’s beak that plays a highly important function in the bird’s life. Finally she tells the degenerating triangle that “..if you don’t pull yourself together, you will end up like all the other sticks in my nest!”

Religion Love, Broken Love, Sorrow and Winter Water

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Broken Heart at the Crux of the Cross

taken in the local park after the Boston Valentine’s day freeze.A teardrop is seen at bottom right. The image has a religious feel of course and I also love the way the heart of ice illuminates the oxidized green on the steel grate of the manhole cover. Hidden messages abound.

And that is Boston February 2016 folks- and fun with anatomy of the winter ice water

 

 

References for Winter Water

Water Wiki

Window Frost Wiki

Frost Wiki

Formation of Ice Crystals and Snow 5 star

Guide to Frost